Query (oven)

[magid]

The worst part about the beginning of Sukkot was discovering that the oven doesn't work (it did Monday; it doesn't now). Just the oven; the broiler and the burners are fine. Of course, I've got another two large meals to cook, and an oven is slightly necessary. It sounds like the problem is likely the oven ignitor.

The question(s): given that the gas range is GE, should I schedule a service call from them, or find some place smaller/local (any suggestions?)? Does anyone know if I'm likely to be able to get a service call today/early tomorrow?

The GE website lets me schedule a service call, and describes the costs as

For repairs not covered by the manufacturer's warranty or an active GE Service Contract, our charges include a home call charge of $00.00, plus labor and parts. If you choose not to have the repair, the charges will be $00.00, plus $74.95 labor for diagnosis.

Which doesn't give me an hourly rate for labor, so it sounds odd. (Plus, I keep seeing the $00.00 as $100.00, 'cause why have it there otherwise?)


ETA, noon The GE web site's nearest appointment is next Wednesday, so I just called Cambridge Appliance Repair, who has time this afternoon. I'll have to leave work early, but with luck, it should be fixed in time for me to cook for Shabbat!

Comments

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

The times (yes, the *times*) I had to get the igniter replaced (which is $$$), I called a local person. I don't have a GE, I have a Magic Chef.

The second time, the repairman told me what I had to do to not have to replace it *again* -

1. Stop using any oven cleaner, including EZ-Off No Fume. It corrodes the igniter. Use "elbow grease" instead. Note: if you have a self-cleaning oven, this does not apply.

2. Not to leave my oven on for 24 hours at a time. He advised me to get an appliance timer - when the power is off, so is the gas to the oven. I'm actually delighted with this solution, as it reduces energy use, and the only inconvenience thus far is that the clock is now useless for telling time. I haven't taken the timer off in weeks.

3. Don't cook over 350. "No one needs more heat than that."

He's wrong. While I'm using the lower temperature more often, and produced a glorious turkey that way, there are times I have to go higher.

[bitty.livejournal.com]

Stick a witch in it. That should fix it.

[magid.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

1. It's self-cleaning (I hate cleaning ovens.).

2. This is the first time I tried to do this, so that may well have been what started the problem.

3. Hah! Yes, some cooking requires more than 350!

[magid.livejournal.com]

Got any around?

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

Self-cleaning or continous clean?

I want self-cleaning, if only to make Pesach easier.

[bitty.livejournal.com]

It's almost Halloween. Just pick one off the street at Trick-or-Treat. Bribe 'er with candy.

[magid.livejournal.com]

Self-clean. It was the first thing I bought when I moved in (other than re-finishing the floors): I decided if I could afford an apartment (just), then I could afford a self-cleaning oven that worked. It's been fine until now (over a decade).

[gingicat]

See if Gray's Appliance in Melrose will come to Cambridge. They're marvelous.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

3. Clearly a man who's never made pizza, among other things.

[magid.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the recommendation.

[magid.livejournal.com]

Mmmm.... pizza.....

[magid.livejournal.com]

Alas, they only do service calls for appliances bought from them.

[frobzwiththingz.livejournal.com]

my thoughts exactly. if we ever need to replace our oven, it will be replaced with one that will go higher than 550, or it will be a self-cleaning one, i will disable the self-cleaning safety interlock, and cook the pizzas using the self-clean cycle.

[fairdice.livejournal.com]

The Man Who Ate Everything has a great paragraph about when he tried to do the self-clean cycle thing, along with ice packs over the thermostat and various other things to home-make pizza. None of them worked; the charred hunk of ashes was a frequent image.

I think he ended up using a Weber charcoal grill(!). Great book.

[magid.livejournal.com]

Impressive book, but I wouldn't've wanted to have lived through it myself. I'm still glad there's someone obsessive enough to do all the things he did.

[frobzwiththingz.livejournal.com]

i wonder what he did. (my guess is simply "got distracted and left pizza in too long") An oven self cleaning cycle runs at about 900F; some pizza ovens will go as high as *1100F*. 750-950 is considered to be the optimal range.

[fairdice.livejournal.com]

Actially I think it involved a misguided attempt to circumvent the locking mechanism by unplugging the oven at the right temperature, which sadly(?) does not allow you to open the door.

His investigation had started with a laser-based remote heat gun, with which he stalked some of NY's best pizza joints, commando-style, firing into open ovens whenever he had the chance. So he did know what temperature he was, er shooting for.